Hospital pharmacy supportive personnel utilization: a regional survey

The results of a regional survey of hospital pharmacy supportive personnel (technicians) are presented. The data represents the responses from 118 directors of pharmacy in hospitals within a 150-mile radius of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A high percentage of the hospitals (92.4%) utilize pharmacy technicians in some capacity. In hospitals employing pharmacy technicians, on the average, there is approximately one technician for each pharmacist. The demand for technicians is relative strong with 120 job openings each year because of turnover and new positions. The requirements for employment vary, but most institutions minimally required a high school diploma or equivalent. The vast majority of hospital pharmacy technicians possess a high school diploma with only a small percentage having any additional training. Only about 15% of the hospitals have any type of formal pharmacy technician program and almost 80% of the directors are in favor of external continuing education programs. Regarding how best to train and educate hospital pharmacy technicians, 66% of hospital pharmacy directors feel that a formal college or university based program should be required. Approximately one-third of the hospitals have various levels of pharmacy technicians, and the most important criteria for determining levels are experience, technical responsibility, and seniority. Although only eight percent of the hospital pharmacy technicians have any formal training, 36% of the hospitals would start graduates of formal educational programs at higher entry level positions.